Methods of Tracking Fertility

Please take a moment to read about various methods of tracking fertility.

The purpose of fertility tracking is of course to pinpoint ovulation. This can not always be done with complete surety. Women have spent millions of dollars trying to pinpoint ovulation but it cannot be done. What can however be done is to track patterns that may lead to impending ovulation and then observing post ovulation patterns as well.

There are many helpful methods of documenting ovulation. They include:

Basal body temperature method as outlined in Taking Charge of Your Fertility
Recording basal body temperatures is a very reliable source, most agree the most accurate in determining ovulation has occurred. The problem is of course that a shift in temperatures occurs too late to prevent pregnancy and in many cases too late to have intercourse when TTC – trying to conceive. Unfortunately, many women are confused still wondering if they did or did not ovulate due to confusing temps.

Here are a few facts that may help you to determine what is called a coverline for temperature taking and TTC. It is the presence of progesterone which affects the hypothalmus, the body’s temperature regulator, to show a rise in temperature.

1: Identify the first day your temperature rises at least 2/10 of degree higher than it had been the previous 6 days.
2: Highlight the last 6 temps before the rise.
3: Locate the highest of those six highlighted temps.
4: Draw the coverline 1/10 of degree above the highest of that cluster of six days preceding the rise.
5: High temps during your period are irrelevant.
6: Once you see a third high temperature above the coverline (the 3/10 higher than 6 preceding days) you know you have ovulated.
Special note: For daylight savings time, take your temperature 20 minutes earlier. Saturday 4/3, 20 minutes later Sunday 4/4 and then take temps normal time on Monday.

Second note: Most NFP books will tell you that when you see above coverline temps for 18 consecutive days you are pregnant. We recommend that you consider not testing until after the 18 high temps. This is because of the emotional upset that comes with seeing one more negative HPT. Let your temps tell you.

This coverline information is taken mainly from the book Taking Charge Of Your Fertility by Toni Weischler Check out our catalog book section to purchase this book. You will find the Fertility Tracker® along with the book (or sold separately) used to track saliva and / or mucus patterns.
For more information about using saliva and / or mucus patterns to track fertility and save money over purchasing OPKs monthly or checking cervical position click here and read about the FertilityTracker®

Billings method which uses cervical mucus and cervical changes
Cervical mucus is yet another noteworthy preovulation sign. The cervical fluid in the body and the saliva as well are strongly influenced by progesterone and oestrogen. Experiencing stretchy, stringy and clear mucus from the cervix is usually a good sign ovulation will follow. We find that many women with hormonal imbalance as well as hypothyroid will have fluid many times before ovulation. This makes it difficult to follow this method only. Checking the cervix for changes in position is part of this method.

OPK which stands for Ovulation Predictor Kit a fair choice but costly
This method depends on the detection of the LH surge. Lutenizing hormone in the urine is what is used in this method. While the makers of these kits would have us believe that this is a very accurate scientific approach, this is not entirely true for many though YES it is scientific. Among the infertile it is not uncommon to get false positives several times before a true reading. If there is not a sufficient LH surge a woman may believe that she has ovulated when in fact if she were to do another test she may find the same results several days and even weeks later for those with hormonal imbalance. OPKs are better than temping of course because it is used before the temp rise or pre-ovulation. This is helpful for for those who have no idea when they might ovulate.. LH must be taken up and then will show in the urine much like checking acid and alkalinity in the urine. Also just like testing acid/alkaline balance the saliva can be used which is not messy and unfriendly.

The Saliva Ferning Method in Fertility
Now we come to the salvia ferning method. There have been many studies done since 1959 showing how saliva changes during a women’s cycle just like her endometrium does and her acid / alkaline balance in the body. As fertility nears, in her cycle, the level of the salt in the body raises with the presence of higher oestrogen. The patterns of this saliva when placed on a slide will show crystalized patterns when left to dry. This crystalization is very similar to frost on a window or the appearance of ferns from the garden. This is where the name ferning comes from, of course. These simple patterns tell a world of information regarding your fertility. Interested in the Fertility Tracker® go to their site now.